It was Good Friday in 1850 when Francoise Chambon reported her first vision of Jesus. She was with her godmother at Good Friday services when the vision occurred. She reported that she saw Jesus, on the cross, covered in blood and His body having many wounds. She was nine years old. Later on during the year, upon receiving her First Holy Communion, she saw Jesus again, who told her, “My child, so it will be every time you go to Holy Communion.”

Francoise Chambon was born in Davoy, France on March 6, 1841. Her parents were poor farmers, and life was not easy. Francoise, for the most part, kept her experiences to herself. She bided her time and when she was 20 years old, she entered the Monastery of the Visitation Order in nearby Chambery. This was when she was given the name, Marie-Martha.

Marie-Martha was favored with many supernatural visions during her life. One of these was actually of heaven. While on a retreat in 1870, during a recreation break the Sisters would pray the Rosary. Marie-Martha said to them: “The Sisters who endeavor to be present and attend the Rosary give me much delight; those who say it with much fervor will one day be in my entourage.” Marie-Martha then witnessed the graces and many blessings which Jesus poured out on the families of these sisters because of their prayers in honor of His Mother.

There were times when Marie-Martha was allowed to see the Holy Family. After a long vision, she told Mother Superior: “My Mother, I return from Paradise! I cannot say that which I saw! I can only say that I prostrated myself in front of the Holy Family and I said to Saint Joseph: My good Father, I thank you that while you were on the earth, you took care of my sweet Mother Mary.”

She said that St. Joseph was very happy and told her to say this short prayer often, “Jesus, Joseph and Mary, I give you my heart and my soul.”

Marie-Martha began to have more visions of Jesus when He would ask her to contemplate the Holy Wounds. Jesus would teach her specific prayers and meditations. Her Mother Superior began to chronicle Marie’s life, and this was published in 1923 and sold worldwide. The following year the Vatican granted an indulgence to those who said the following prayer which was based on her reported visions: “Eternal Father I offer the wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls.”

Jesus wanted her to unite her sufferings with His in the Rosary of the Holy Wounds. This would be done as an act of reparation for the sins of the world and the souls in purgatory. He told Marie-Marthe that the Holy Wounds were a true treasure for the souls in Purgatory.

Marie-Martha foresaw the death of Pope Pius IX whose soul appeared to her. He thanked her for her prayers which helped open the doors of paradise to him. She had a clear vision of her twenty-five-year-old sister’s death. Her younger brother passed away in 1878, and he appeared to his big sister to tell her he was in Paradise.

On March 21, 1907, Marie-Martha Chambon passed away. She was sixty-six years old. Her cause for beatification began in 1937.

On October 21, 1924, an out-of-wedlock child was born and given the name, Maria. At the time, Maria was not assigned a surname. That was because her birth father, (himself an illegitimate child) refused to wed Maria’s mother and left her. Fortunately for Maria, the most influential person in young girl’s life would be her grandma, Cornetto Cesira. She taught Maria all she could about God and Jesus and religion. Five years later, Maria’s mom married Giuseppe Bolognesi, and Maria was given her step-father’s’name.

When Maria was eight-years-old, she and her mom contracted meningitis. Her mom was close to death from the dreaded illness. Maria, who had begun to recover, was preparing for her First Holy Communion. The nun that was teaching her told her that Jesus would grant her a wish if she asked Him. She wished her mom would get better and she fully recovered from the disease.

Filled with emotion and love for Jesus, Maria made her First Communion on May 22, 1932. In her diary they found written; “I cried with joy. Finally, my little heart also carries Eucharistic Jesus. I asked for so many, many graces: to love everyone, even my enemies. I came home, other families would have lunch at their homes, but at my home, there was nothing to eat, but still, I was so so happy.”

From June 21, 1940, to April 1, 1942, Maria exhibited strange behavior, and many have attested this was due to demonic possession. She could not approach church buildings or any other religious buildings. Holy water was repulsive to her. Once, as she arrived at the bridge that spanned the river leading to the church, people with her saw her skirt being pulled from behind as Maria fought to move forward. There was no wind blowing at the time, yet she could not move forward.

Maria also began sweating blood, suffered from pneumonia, ophthalmia (extreme dryness of the eyes and loss of tears), pinworms, anemia, vomiting, sciatica, chronic laryngitis, and rheumatism. She also developed heart problems. Doctors were completely baffled by the number of afflictions the teenager was experiencing. Although suffering greatly she gave it over to Jesus, sharing herself with Him.

Maria received her first vision of Jesus Christ during Holy Week of 1942. It was Holy Thursday, April 2, when He appeared to her and gave her three rings with five rubies, the rings representing the Trinity, and the rubies representing His five wounds. Jesus promised her she would learn how to read and that her mother would repent of her sins and return to the church. On April 11, with the permission of her spiritual advisor, Father Bassiano Paiato, she began wearing the black habit.

Besides having to endure much pain and suffering throughout the 1940s, Maria also had those who began ridiculing her and mocking her “fake” visions. Among them were different clergy. On March 5, 1948, three criminals attacked her and beat her, tied her up, gagged her and left her bleeding in the snow. Because of some of the ridicule that had been heaped upon this servant of Jesus, the police at first did not believe her and accused her of “faking” the attack to garner attention. They were quickly proved wrong, and all charges against her were absolved.

Toward the end of the 1940s, Maria began to suffer from arthritis, colitis, developed appendicitis, and almost became blind. She would be taken to Rovigo and Padua for treatment and while there, would assist taking care of the orphans and visit the sick in the hospitals. On January 25, 1954, a wound opened up on her right hand. It was the beginning of the stigmata appearing on Maria. In August of 1954, the wounds appeared on Maria’s feet and on Good Friday, 1955, she received the wound on her left side. The time was exactly 3 p.m.

Maria Bolognesi suffered from serious physical ailments her entire life. Jesus appeared to her at different times showing her Heaven several times and, in November of 1957, both Heaven and Purgatory. Her first heart attack occurred in 1971. It is said the Padre Pio, even after his passing in 1968, would appear to her in bilocation whenever she stayed in Rovigo. On January 30, 1980, Maria Bolognesi passed away.

Maria was beatified on May 2, 2013. Pope Francis was quoted as saying, “Blessed Maria Bolognesi spent her life in service to others, especially the poor and sick, enduring great suffering in profound union with the passion of Christ. We give thanks to God for her testimony to the Gospel!”